What Dreams Are Made Of
by Right In Front Of Your Eyes
Summary: Rinoa finally let that tear slide down her cheek and Squall brushed it away with his fingertips and kissed her hand. “Now I’ve got someone to love,”


(This song is a ballad in the Lizzie McGuire movie. I personally haven't seen it, but I accidentally came across the song and I think it's a beautiful piece, so I decided to use it in this story. It's technically a songfic by definition, but not your usual run of the mill songfic. The lyrics are posted at the end, if you can't figure them out on your own. The storyline takes place at the celebration at the end of the game after you *spoiler!* beat the sorceress, when Squall and Rinoa are out on the balcony)

What Dreams Are Made Of

"_Have you ever seen such a beautiful night_?"

Rinoa looked skyward as her companion spoke and she smiled another countless time that night. The view from the quad certainly was beautiful, though other words came to her mind. Stunning. Fantastic. Spectacular. Magnificent. Extraordinary. And those were only a few racing through her head. Of course, the sky was just the sky; the same thing she saw every night when she looked off the quad's balcony. It was everything else that made the view what it was.

She looked up at Squall with her dark eyes, totally ignoring the sky he was watching. "It's amazing, isn't it? _I could almost kiss the stars for shining so bright_," She paused, ".....if there wasn't something else I'd rather kiss more,"

Squall glanced at her and she smiled shyly. He took her around the waist and drew her in sharply, meeting her lips with one of the sweetest, most intense kisses she'd ever tasted. He pulled back and she caught her breath, inhaling the cold night air. She wasn't sure if he was that good of a kisser, or if that was her imagination running wild with happiness that they could finally be together. She'd waited for those kisses forever, and now that they were delivered, she couldn't believe it was real. Secretly, she pinched herself, leaving a small red blotch on her arm. Surely, she wasn't imagining this.

Squall had not turned from her, he instead was staring down, scrutinizing her features, mouth in a slight grin.

"What are you thinking about?" Rinoa whispered, unknowingly. She held her breath and hoped he didn't disappoint her by ignoring the question, or saying "Whatever."

The man in front of her was definitely a different one than she'd met months ago, however; and he tipped his head down to meet hers, and said, "How beautiful you are. And how much I love you,"

Rinoa fought back the tears of pure joy with all she had, and picking up on something Squall used to do in this situation, she tried to change the subject, "You know, it's great _when I see you smile_. I love it,"

"Well, it feels pretty good on this end too," He embraced her and they stood together again watching the sky. Rinoa caught sight of a shooting star, but wasn't about to break up this hold to point at it like she would normally. She could hear Squall's heart beating through his furry jacket, and hers began to beat in synchronization with it.

From inside, they could hear the sounds of the celebration that was going on. Technically, it was being held in their honor and they should've been inside, but since their return it had been nothing but 'take a picture' here, and 'sign an autograph' there, and they hadn't any time to themselves. It was like they were celebrities; and after saving the entire world, why wouldn't they be. Zell, Selphie, Irvine and Quistis were inside, just eating it up, and no one would really miss Squall and Rinoa if they just took a little break out on the balcony.

"Look at them in there," Rinoa said, "We've really done something, haven't we?"

"I should say so. They all owe their lives to us,"

"Do you think we should join them?"

Squall thought a minute and replied, "No."

"No?"

"Because _I would never want to miss 'this'_,"

Rinoa glanced up at him, a confused look across her face. "Miss what?"

"This," He said, motioning to the air around them. "You, me... and our future,"

"Wow, Squall," Rinoa said, "I think that's the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say," The comment wasn't entirely serious, as she wasn't for sure if he was overplaying everything a little or if he truly was sincere. Squall picked up on it right away.

"I can tell that you don't believe that I'm actually saying these things," He said, taking her hands, "But you've changed me, Rinoa. Changed me as much as anyone's ever changed me. You and your bubbly personality that didn't give up on me when everyone else did. Your strength to stick it out when I'm stubborn and not walk away. And the love you've shown me, it's the only love I've ever known. I'm forever in your debt,"

Again, Rinoa was holding back the tears. "You make it sound like such a chore," She laughed, "But I do it for you,"

"And that you do it so unselfishly is what I find amazing," He sighed and turned away from her, then walked across the balcony. "Rinoa, _in my heart, I know what 'this' is_," 

Rinoa left all emotion from her face, and looking very solemnly, her mouth closed, her eyes only slightly narrowed, she asked, "What is 'this', Squall?"

Squall faced her, and from the twenty foot distance between them, stood perfectly still as he explained.

"_This is what dreams are made of_,"

Rinoa waited for more, but that was all he said. She wasn't sure what he was expecting as a reaction.

"You don't see it, do you?"

Rinoa felt bad for Squall, because he was pouring his heart out and she didn't understand. "No, I don't," She said quietly, walking up to him, "But I'd like you to tell me,"

"_This is what dreams are made of_," He continued, "My dreams. All the aspirations I had as a child, all the wishes I made on those stars you point out, and all the fantasies I have for the future, it's all here within a hundred yards of us right now," He motioned into the ballroom, "Zell, Selphie, Irvine, Quistis, Cid, and Matron and the rest of Garden," He looked into her eyes, "_I've got somewhere I belong_,"

Rinoa smiled as she began to see his reasoning.

"But this is the fairy tale ending: A person could have all that and still be unhappy, and just a few months ago, I did have it all. Nothing in that perspective has changed," He looked up at the stars, and softly said, "I had no one to share it with. I had everything in the world, yet no one to share it with,"

Rinoa finally let that tear slide down her cheek and Squall brushed it away with his fingertips and kissed her hand. "Now _I've got someone to love_,"

It was probably the single softest thing he'd ever said, and the boldest all rolled into one. Though Rinoa knew the meaning behind the words ahead of time, his actual speaking of them came out more powerful than she could ever imagine.

"And believe me, that someone loves you back, she really does,"

They stood there a few minutes longer, Rinoa letting her eyes calm down from the tears, just enjoying the night together. Not long after, Zell wandered out on the balcony, and very quietly said, "I don't mean to interrupt, but Squall, you're needed in the ballroom,"

"I'll meet you in there in a few seconds," Rinoa said, letting him go. He walked a few paces ahead and then turned around for a second look. She smiled slightly and he continued walking until he was out of her sight. She leaned out on the railing of the balcony, watching the waves of the sea below her, and the stars of the night above her. The wind blew slightly and it seemed to whisper to her. She smiled to herself.

"Yes," She whispered, "_This is what dreams are made of_,"

**********

_What Dreams Are Made Of___

_Have you ever seen such a beautiful night_

_I could almost kiss the stars for shining so bright_

_When I see you smile, I go oh oh oh_

_I would never want to miss this_

_In my heart I know what this is_

_This is what dreams are made of_

_This is what dreams are made of_

_I've got somewhere I belong_

_I've got somebody to love_

_This is what dreams are made of_

Please be a responsible reader and review if you liked it. Also, if you wish, email me at rightinfrontofyoureyes@hotmail.com if you need to get ahold of me. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!


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